US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Imaging the Geometry of the Kharga Basin (New Valley Oasis) and its Groundwater Capacity

该项目支持俄克拉荷马州斯蒂尔沃特的俄克拉荷马州州立大学的Estella Atekwana博士和埃及赫勒万国家天文学和地球物理学研究所的Magdy Atya的合作研究项目。他们计划研究“Kharga盆地（新山谷绿洲）的几何形状及其地下水容量。“PI将调查Kharga盆地的地下几何形状，该盆地拥有努比亚砂岩含水层（NSA）。NSA很可能成为埃及越来越重要的淡水来源，更彻底的分析对于确保有效利用这一水资源至关重要。许多用于评估NSA地下水潜力的地下水数值模型依赖于区域规模的地质调查，没有考虑NSA的结构复杂性。这种结构的复杂性突出的钻孔数据表明，在埃及南部的NSA的中生代沉积部分的厚度可以在600米和0米之间变化沿着40公里的距离。盆地几何形状的精确成像对于任何利用NSA地下水的努力都至关重要;据信，NSA地下水是埃及至关重要的淡水资源。目前，埃及8500万人口中有99%的人沿着尼罗河流域和三角洲生活，使用尼罗河每年排放的550亿立方米淡水。然而，由于其他上游国家对尼罗河水的需求越来越大，以及全球气候变化对河流流量的不可预测的后果，这种供应可能变得不那么可靠。古生代-中生代的NSA，其中大部分似乎位于埃及之下，但也延伸到利比亚，苏丹和乍得，被认为是提供急需的地下水资源的可能候选者。该项目的具体目标是：（1）确定哈尔加凹陷下的NSA所在盆地的地下几何形状，（2）绘制该盆地断层系统的地表和地下几何形状并确定其特征，作为地下水流的潜在管道，（3）开发一个地球科学GIS数据库，以帮助资源规划和管理。为实现这些目标，将利用遥感数据和地质调查，并结合沿着东西和南北剖面的地球物理调查（地震、重力、磁力和电磁数据），对盆地和相关含水层进行详细的地下成像，从而查明潜在的地下水蓄积。这些数据还将为地下水模型的开发提供重要的制约因素，这些模型将量化地下水的可用性。可以在其他绿洲进行类似的研究，以提供更准确的可用和可持续水资源清单。这项研究建立在NRIAG和OSU的美国和埃及科学家之间现有的研究合作基础上。该项目将确认平等的伙伴关系，加强智力合作，并作为培训下一代全球参与科学家的平台。埃及机构的科学投入以及与美国机构的合作将有助于为西部沙漠绿洲的可持续资源管理制定长期战略规划。这项研究将把地质、地球物理和遥感信息与基于GIS的测绘数据相结合，用于水资源勘探。随着地表淡水资源越来越稀缺，地球物理学研究、测绘和建模工作还将培养学生的相关技能。培训早期职业教师和研究生在埃及和美国的国际研究，并指导他们领导国际，文化多样性和多学科的研究团队将是这个项目的一个显着好处。妇女和少数民族学生将有具体的机会，通过与NSF资助的俄克拉荷马州路易斯斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟（LSAMP）在俄勒冈州立大学计划合作，参与国际研究。与LSAMP的整体培训和合作将帮助学生认识到国际研究的相关性，并将提供重要的机会来发展在日益全球化的世界中有效生活和工作所需的知识，技能和能力。技术转让将通过同行审查的出版物、讲习班、短期课程和在非洲地质学会、美国地球物理联合会和美国地质学会等国际科学场所传播项目成果来进行。该项目由美国-埃及联合科学技术基金项目资助。这些合作项目的美方支持由美国国务院提供给国家科学基金会。埃及政府为合作的埃及方面提供支持。

This project supports a cooperative research project by Dr. Estella Atekwana of Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma and Magdy Atya of the the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Egypt. They plan to study "Imaging the Geometry of the Kharga Basin (New Valley Oasis) and its Groundwater Capacity." The PIs will investigate the subsurface geometry of the Kharga Basin which hosts the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer (NSA). The NSA is likely to become and increasingly important source of fresh water for Egypt and a more thorough analysis is crucial to ensuring that this water resource is used effectively. Many numerical groundwater models used to evaluate the groundwater potential of the NSA have relied on regional-scale geological investigations and did not consider the structural complexity of the NSA. This structural complexity is highlighted by borehole data that suggest that the thickness of the Mesozoic sedimentary section of the NSA in southern Egypt can vary between 600m and 0 m along a distance of 40 km. Accurate imaging of the basin's geometry is critical to any effort to utilize the NSA groundwater; a freshwater resource believed to be of fundamental importance to Egypt. Currently ~99% of Egypt's 85 million population lives along the Nile Valley and Delta using the 55 billion cubic meters of fresh water discharged annually by the Nile River. However, this supply is likely to become less reliably due to the increasing demand by other countries upstream for a larger share of the Nile's water and also the unpredictable consequences of global climate change on the river's discharge. The Paleozoic-Mesozoic NSA, The majority of which appears to lie under Egypt but also stretches into Libya, Sudan and Chad, is thought to be the likely candidate for providing badly needed groundwater resource. The specific objectives of this project are to: (1) determine the subsurface geometry of the basin hosting the NSA underlying the Kharga Depression, (2) map and characterize the surface and subsurface geometry of the fault systems of this basin as potential conduits of groundwater flow, (3) develop a geoscientific GIS database that would aid in resource planning and management. These objectives will be accomplished by utilizing remote sensing data and geological investigations in association with geophysical surveys (seismic, gravity, magnetic and electromagnetic data) along E-W and N-S profiles for detailed subsurface imaging of the basin and associated aquifers, hence identifying potential groundwater accumulations. These data will also provide important constraints for the development of groundwater models that will quantify the availability of groundwater. Similar studies can be conducted at other oases to provide a more accurate inventory of available and sustainable water resources. The research builds upon existing research collaborations between the US and Egyptian scientists at NRIAG and at OSU. The project will affirm an equal partnership, enhance intellectual collaboration and serve as a platform for the training of the next generation of globally-engaged scientists. The scientific input of the Egyptian institution and collaboration with the US institution will help establish an approach for long term strategic planning for sustainable resources management for the oases in the Western Desert. The study will integrate geological, geophysical and remote sensing information for water resources exploration with GIS-based mapping data The geophysics research, mapping and modeling efforts will also train students in skills that are relevant around the world as surface freshwater resources become more scarce. The training of early career faculty and graduate students in international research from both Egypt and the US, and mentoring them to lead international, culturally diverse, and multidisciplinary research teams will be a significant benefit of this project. There will be specific opportunities for women and minority students to participate in international research by partnering with the NSF-funded Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program at OSU. The overall training and collaboration with LSAMP will help students realize the relevance of international research and will provide important opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to effectively live and work in an increasingly globalized world. Technology transfer will occur through peer reviewed publications, workshops, short courses and dissemination of project results at international science venues such as the Geological Society of Africa, American Geophysical Union and Geological Society of America. This project is funded through the US-Egypt Joint Science and Technology Fund Program. Support for the U.S. side of these cooperative projects is provided to the National Science Foundation by the U.S. Department of State. The Egyptian Government provides support for the Egyptian side of the collaboration.